Gold nanoparticles-anchored peptides enable precise colorimetric estimation of microplastics.

Microplastics (MPs, particle size < 5 mm) are an emerging contaminant in aquatic environment, which have attracted increasing attention worldwide. In this study, a colorimetric method for MPs detection was developed based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-anchored peptides (LCI or TA2), which are able to specifically recognize and adhere to polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS). The AuNPs-anchored peptides accumulated on the surface of MPs, rendering a color change from red to gray-blue and transforming the surface plasmon absorption intensity and wavelength. The designed method presented high selectivity, stability, and reproducibility, with a detection range of 2.5-15 µg/mL. The results demonstrated that the developed approach will be valuable in the precise, facile, and cost-effective estimation of MPs in different matrices, regulating the control over MPs pollution and its hazardous impact on health and ecosystems.

Applications of Material-Binding Peptides: A Review.

Material-binding peptides (MBPs) are functionalized adhesive materials consisting of a few to several dozen amino acids. This affinity between MBPs and materials is regulated by multiple interactions, including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic, hydrophobic interactions, and π-π stacking. They show selective binding and high affinity to a diverse range of inorganic and organic materials, such as silicon-based materials, metals, metal compounds, carbon materials, and polymers. They are used to improve the biocompatibility of materials, increase the efficiency of material synthesis, and guide the controlled synthesis of nanomaterials. In addition, these can be used for precise targeting of proteins by conjugating to target biomolecules. In this review, we summarize the main designs and applications of MBPs in recent years. The discussions focus on more efficient and functional peptides, including evolution and overall design of MBPs. We have also highlighted the recent applications of MBPs, such as functionalization of material surfaces, synthesis of nanomaterials, drug delivery, cancer therapy, and plastic degradation. Besides, we also discussed the development trend of MBPs. This interpretation will accelerate future investigations to bottleneck the drawbacks of available MBPs, promoting their commercial applications.